Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology
Who We Are
Lots of children and young people experience difficulties, such as low mood, anxiety or other mental health issues. They can often feel different to other people their age and struggle to know what to do to make things better.
Child & Adolescent Psychological Services is a specialist service for children and young people aged 0 to 18 years, who are experiencing these difficulties. We are committed to providing a therapeutic service across Dumfries and Galloway.
Our service includes Clinical Psychologists, and Psychological Therapists. We can see people throughout the region.
We have seven specialist services: CAMHS Psychology, Intellectual Disability Psychology, Medical Paediatrics, Wee Minds Matter (Infant Mental Health), Neurodevelopmental, Paediatric Neuropsychology and The Care Experienced Health & Wellbeing Service (CET).
Referral Information
Children and Young people can be referred to our service by their GP, or other health professionals working with the family. We also accept referrals from Social Work and Educational Psychologists. All referrals should be copied to the GP.
For young people aged 16-18, the young person should usually still be in full-time education. If a young person has left school, other services within the department may be more appropriate.
What We Do
We offer psychological therapy to children and young people who may be experiencing these difficulties, and sometimes to their families.
We also help families and carers to manage challenging behaviour in younger children (under 8 years).
Psychological therapies are aimed at helping children and young people with certain types of emotional problems. Therapists are trained to use evidence based therapies.
Psychological therapies involve helping children, young people and their families to understand their difficulties better and how to tackle them. This often includes:
- Working together with the therapist to understand what is causing the problem
- Learning new ways of coping
Therapies involve setting clear aims or goals to work towards. It is not a long-term service, as it aims to help young people continue to make progress themselves when sessions have ended.
Contact us
Child and Adolescent Psychological Services
Department of Psychological Services and Research
Mountainhall Treatment Centre
Bankend Road
Dumfries
DG1 4AP
Tel. 01387 244495
Open Monday to Friday, 8.30am-5pm for enquiries.